Police: Man shoved, cell phone stolen

SYCAMORE – A DeKalb man police say took another’s phone and pushed him to the ground appeared in court Wednesday.

Malik T. Stovall, 18, of the 800 block of Lucinda Avenue in DeKalb, was charged with aggravated battery and robbery. If convicted, he faces up to seven years in prison.

Stovall appeared during a hearing Wednesday at the DeKalb County Courthouse via closed-circuit TV from the county jail.

According to court documents, the victim was walking about 7:30 p.m. Tuesday on a path on the property of Immanuel Lutheran Church on Russell Road with a cellphone in his hand when a group of people passed him.

A few seconds later, one of the people in the group ran up behind him, grabbed his cellphone and threw him to the ground, according to court documents. The victim then fled.

Security guards in the area noticed the group of people also fleeing the area and directed police to that area. Stovall was identified as the person who took the victim’s phone and pushed him.

Bond was set at $20,000 for Stovall, who said he is a Northern Illinois University student. Prosecutors with the DeKalb County State’s Attorney’s Office said he has a juvenile history that includes charges of disorderly conduct, assault and mob action.